Senior Programme Sponsor

This is a great opportunity to be part of Network Rail who is at the heart of revitalising Britain’s economy, connecting people to their favourite places. From Crossrail – Europe’s largest civil engineering project – to investment in world-class stations and major programmes of electrification on the Midland Mainline route, we're involved in some of the most ambitious and diverse ventures that this country has ever seen.

Route Businesses function operates the railway day-to-day. The Midland Mainline sponsorship team sits within this function holding accountability of the enhancement projects within the London North Eastern & East Midlands (LNE&EM) route. We ensure delivery of the benefits of new train paths, timetabling and train movements to enable safe performance and meet the needs of our customers.

As senior sponsor you will oversee programmes of complex projects with budget accountability of up to £1bn, dealing with senior stakeholders and contractual authorisations. Managing a small team of sponsors, you will own and manage the business cases, the relationships with the passenger and freight operators and other external stakeholders.

This role will see you direct and manage the development, implementation and close out of major renewal and enhancement projects funded by government or 3rd party clients. You will ensure value and benefit realisation against an agreed scope, schedule and budget.

Key Accountabilities

• Build effective relationships, (internally & externally) to balance the requirements of the client, Network Rail and the industry as a whole. Champion the interests of clients, customers and stakeholders acting as the focal point for escalation within Network Rail.

• Review and interrogate client remits to confirm their viability. Work with internal and external stakeholders to establish a scope which optimises client requirements, value for money, network availability and capacity for future development and whole life cost.

• Be responsible for the conversion of the client remit into an agreed project requirement specification. Be accountable for development of the initial project plan and budget; working with the project manager to specify how the project portfolio is going to be delivered, expected milestones and associated timescales, resource requirements, risks & issues and funding needs/sources.

• Progress cost efficiencies and process improvements across the project portfolio to meet control period targets.

• Own and manage business cases and investment papers for Group Strategy projects portfolio.

• Devise solutions which maintain the ‘business as usual’ accessibility for our customers, take consideration of the 7-day railway principles and therefore minimise disruption to end rail users. Take a national/route wide view across portfolios to generate additional benefits, identify and resolve conflicting work and drive efficiencies.

• Lead the process of quantifying risk associated with the project portfolio. Devise mitigating actions and periodically review recovery progress.

• Interrogate and challenge plans to assess the deliverability of agreed scope within stated timescales and cost parameters, presenting any required scope changes to the client for approval.

• Hold the Project Manager accountable for programme delivery to cost, time and scope parameters. Hold periodic reviews to understand and challenge delivery progress against the client remit. Communicate progress status against defined milestones and expectations to stakeholders putting contingency measures in place if required.

• Lead negotiations with customers and stakeholders on the project portfolio’s commercial and contractual terms in accordance with relevant corporate policy and strategy. Act as the focal point for negotiations and resolution of external scheme interface requirements, including any Parliamentary or Statutory processes, external consents issues to optimise the value of the scheme to Network Rail and funder(s).

• Comply with the requirements of investment regulations, other corporate governance and the Guide to Railway Investment Projects. Adhere to corporate processes, including those related to safety, finance, legal and corporate affairs.

• Facilitate the discharge of the duties assigned by the Client as detailed within the Construction Design Management (CDM) Regulations for the programme of projects allocated.

It is imperative you have…

• Qualified to degree level or equivalent

• Experience of dealing with client portfolios and liaising with people at all levels

• Ability to articulate complex business problems into manageable work packages and produce synthesised logical solutions

• Experience of leading a successful team both directly and in a matrix organisation

It is advantageous if you have…

• Experience in significant management roles in a commercial environment

• MBA or other related postgraduate qualification

• Experience of negotiating contracts to finalisation and able to demonstrate significant commercial success

Network Rail welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, marital status (including civil partnerships), pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender status, sex (or gender), employment status, trade union affiliation, or other irrelevant factor. We will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. Network Rail positively embraces flexible working, recognising that employees may wish to balance work and family/home life. We will consider all flexible working applications. Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our safety vision.

Network Rail adheres to a structured pay framework, any salary offered will be within the pay range advertised. If your current salary is above the maximum shown you will transfer into the new role on your current base pay. For more information refer to your pay.

We adhere to a structured pay framework, any salary offered will be within the following pay range: starting at £64,514 per annum and increasing to £72,576 per annum

Closing date: 08th May 2019 Late applications will not be accepted. This vacancy is also being advertised externally.